No, so-called "disposable" baby/adult wipes are becoming one of the biggest problems facing wastewater districts around the country. These wipes catch on rough spots in sewers and act as a seed for clogs to start forming. Most sewer systems use pumps to lift sewage and move it along the lines. Baby/adult wipes and other types of rags can bind up in these pumps and shut them down. The best place to dispose of sanitary wipes is in the trash. Only toilet paper should go down the drain.

Reclaimed water undergoes treatment and disinfection to ensure the production of a continuous and reliable supply of high-quality water. Individual states’ environmental and / or health departments determine the necessary levels of treatment for different nonpotable uses.

These agencies may also enforce strict usage requirements upon users of reclaimed water. If you come in contact with reclaimed water, take the same precautions as you would around water from ponds or streams, including common sense personal hygiene measures.

ACWWA has not detected lead in the treated water leaving our plant or in the source water. However, lead can come from the customers plumbing.

According to the EPA, two types of homes may be at risk for lead contamination:

1. Homes that are very old (pre-WWII) with lead services or pipe lines

2. Homes that were built between 1982 and 1987, which used copper pipe with lead based solder. Lead based solder was banned from use on domestic drinking water plumbing in 1987.

Here are some ways to reduce your exposure to lead:

1. When water has been standing in your pipes, run the cold water tap until the water gets noticeably colder. The lower temperature indicates you have cleared the water that has been standing in the pipes.

2. Use only water from the cold water tap for drinking, cooking, and for making baby formula. Hot tap water dissolves lead faster and is likely to contain higher levels of lead if present.

3. When repairing or replacing plumbing, insist on lead-free solder and lead-free fixtures.

Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) are the cause of approximately 90% of all sanitary sewer pverflows. There are a few things residents can do to keep sanitary sewers flowing smoothly.

1. Pour hot grease into a container that can hold hot liquid (a coffee cup or empty can) until it solidifies, and then dispose of in the trash. Vegetable oil, that stays in a liquid form, can be discharged to the sewer.

2. Scrape food off dishes into the trash. Food solids can build up in sewer pipes causing back-ups and overflows.

3. Remember that modern dishwashers are very efficient. If you have scraped off the food solids into the trash there should be no need to prewash your dishes.

Reclaimed water is wastewater that has undergone additional treatment, making it suitable for reuse applications. Common synonyms for reclaimed water include “reuse water,” “recycled water,” and “reclaimed domestic wastewater.”

Water is a limited resource, especially in the arid west. The use of reclaimed water is an important part of managing and conserving this limited resource. It can help conserve potable water, recharge groundwater, and postpone the development of new water sources and supplies through costly investments such as wells, dams, reservoirs and pipelines. Using reclaimed water can also save money and provide aesthetic value.